Herbal medicine for Naja nigricollis bites in Western Niger: Symptomatic treatments and possible antidotes.

The contribution discusses the use of five plants relevant in “traditional” treatments of envenomation by Naja nigricollis Reinhardt Elapidae bites among Zarma and Tuareg in Western Niger. First, it comments envenomation symptoms with reference to local representations of illness and to scientific reports. Then herbal treatments with their phytochemical constituents are described and the possible activity of the latter is commented. Finally, particular interest will be paid to the question if constituents of medical plants, besides their activities on envenomation symptoms, may also have antidotal properties.